The Burn-Trauma Research Center at the University of Utah consists of a multidisciplinary group concerned with the pathophysiology and treatment of traumatic illness. Major areas of inquiry include 1) the development of computer-based decision making algorithms for common problems which occur in critically ill patients; 2) the development and application of devices for the continuous measurement of oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, serum and tissue pH and K, and controlled infusion of fluids to septic and burned patients; 3) the evaluation of an automatic intragastric titrator, and the development of a precise way to assess gastric mucosal injury; 4) the development of a non-invasive method for measuring hepatic blood flow and 5) the study of the effects of steroids on cell wall function in the normal and post-injury state.